Philosopher's Stone: A different beginning
by Anonymius
Summary: AU story, with Voldemort replaced and Dumbledore and Hagrid marginalised with brand new characters. Mad, am I? Nothing could be better than Voldemort, Dumbledore and Hagrid, you say? You're probably right, but let's see what you make of it anyway.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own 'Harry Potter' nor any character or concept mentioned in the books. Why doesn't anyone believe me?

* * *

Night had fallen over Privet Drive. A tabby cat remained seated outside right in front of the house numbered '4,' while all of the people were fast asleep. It looked as if it was waiting for something, or someone. Then came what sounded like the flapping of wings, and a quack. A duck had flown out of the darkness, and landed neatly right in front of the house that the tabby was sitting in front of. The duck turned and noticed the cat. For a moment, the duck and the cat stared at each other. If someone walked past the two animals, a wry thought would occur to him or her that the duck and the cat seemed to know each other. Of course, that would be impossible. The duck's bill now seemed to curve, as if it was smiling. Of course, a passer-by would think that would be even more impossible. If the pedestrian had remained a little while longer, the most impossible thing of all would have occurred. Under a second the duck grew to the size of a man. At the same time its shape had become thinner, the brown feathers covering its body changing into clothes, the green around its face growing into its human face, the strangely coloured feathers on the top of the duck's head becoming hair, its bill shrinking into the figure's face. When it had finished changing, the duck was no longer a duck, but a man, a tall, blond-haired man with deep blue eyes, wearing a brown overcoat. The figure took out something from his right pocket. Holding it out, it looked like a silver cigarette lighter. He clicked it open, but instead of a flame appearing the twelve lights from the street lamps zoomed from their glass cases and into the lighter. It had now become pitch-black. The figure now turned its attention back to the tabby again and smiled. 

"Fancy seeing you here Minerva."

The cat had also instantly changed shape. Like the duck it grew to the size of the person; its tail, ears and the fur covering its face shrunk into the body, the remaining fur being replaced by hair and clothes, glasses had grown out of its face, the limbs becoming more human-like. When it had finished changing, the cat had become a tall bespectacled woman, her black hair tied tightly in a bun. She wore an emerald-green cloak. She looked surprised.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked him.

The blond-haired man laughed.

"My dear colleague, the number of times I've seen you changed! Of course, I'm sure you recognised me as well."

"Well, yes," the woman named Minerva answered. She now looked at the cigarette lighter the man was still holding in his hand.

"Isn't that Professor Dumbledore's Out-Putter?" She asked him.

"Yes, Dumbledore lent it to me. Although I still don't think much of the name. He seriously needs to change it."

"To what?"

"To something that doesn't sound like it's out of a children's book."

He put the Out-Putter back into his pocket.

"Right, now that you've finished asking questions it's now my-"

"Wait a minute, _wait a minute!_ I've haven't even begun asking questions!"

"Oh, sorry Minerva," He grinned, as though he was fully away that Minerva still had questions to ask, "What would you like to know?"

"Where to begin!" Minerva exasperated, throwing her hands aside in frustration, "What are you doing here of all places? Is Nargoa really gone? And-and-"

At this point her voice broke. You could tell that she had reached the most important question of all, the reason why she had waited all day at Privet Drive, the one she would not accept an answer from anyone but the man in front of her.

"People-are saying-well, rumours really-that James and Lily Potter-are-are-dead?"

The man's smile had vanished. His face had become instantly sober. Minerva read the worst from that expression.

"It's not true, is it?" she demanded, hoping against hope that he would tell her no, of course not, how could it be? "Darren, tell me it isn't true!"

Darren closed his eyes. Minerva swore she saw tears threatening to leek from his eyes. After a few seconds, he opened them again.

"I can't," he said.

Minerva gasped.

"No!" she cried. Now she was producing tears, her stern face collapsing.

"I- I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. Oh Darren!"

She broke down into Darren's arms. He hugged her tightly; tears too pouring down his face.

" I know Minnie," he told her, "I know."

She now pulled herself from Darren's embrace, looking at him straight in the eye. Her face had become stern again.

"I thought I told you to NEVER call me Minnie?"

Darren laughed in spite of the tears that remained on his face.

"Oh sorry Minerva! Slip of the tongue. Old habits die hard. All that jazz!"

Minerva of course knew he had only called her her old nickname just to lighten the mood. She allowed herself to smile.

"But that's not all," She added, "They say that when he found them, and after-after killing (she said this word quickly as if it would ease the pain of acknowledging it)- James and Lily-he tried to kill their little boy Harry too. But he couldn't do it. And now he's gone. After all the misery he brought us, how did Harry stop him?"

She looked at Darren. For a moment he just remained silent.

"I'm not completely sure how he survived," he eventually answered, "I have a good guess, though, that's all. Dumbledore's sure to know as well although he wouldn't tell anyone. That man likes his secrets, even beyond the point that keeping them makes sense. But I believe the only thing that could have saved a year old baby is that his mother tried to sacrifice herself in order to save him. Well, Lily did that, and her love left a powerful mark on her son, protecting him from any dark magic that Nargoa could have inflicted upon him. Not only that, but I think it deflected Nargoa's charm right back at him."

"So you think it's true then?" Minerva asked him, "That he's gone for good?"

"Well, he's gone for now, at least. For good? Well, we'll just have to wait and see."

"And how do you feel about it?"

Darren looked suprised.

"How do I feel? Well Minerva, I feel like any decent wizard does. I feel glad that he's gone, that the nightmare is over."

"You know what I mean."

Darren's face looked as if it was on the verge of anger.

"I feel nothing for Nargoa, Minerva. Even though he's my brother, there is no love between us.

"Well, that's two out of three questions you've asked me that I have now answered. I believe the other one was what I was doing here out of all places?" Darren raised an eyebrow at Minerva "A curious question indeed, since you already knew that I would be here. I presume Hagrid was the one who told you?"

"Yes. Though all he told me was that he was assigned by you to take the boy from the house in Godric's Hollow to Privet Drive. He didn't have time to tell me anything else. And I presumed that you'd be here as well and I-well-"

Minerva lost her voice for a moment.

"Anyway, what are you doing here? Are you dropping the boy here at one of these houses?" She gestured to several of them by waving her hand across, "Does a wizard or wizarding family live her? I don't understand. Why not give him to Sirius Black? He is his godfather after all, and James and Lily wanted him to raise Harry if anything happened to them."

At the mention of Sirius Black, Minerva thought she saw something that looked like annoyance flicker across Darren's face.

"Sirius can't protect him," He said, "Even though he's gone, Nargoa's followers are still at large, and they may want to harm Harry. And even if some are imprisoned, others will worm their way out of Azkaban, I am sure of it. And as I have mentioned before, I do not believe that Nargoa is gone forever."

Minerva wondered if Darren believed that Nargoa was not gone out of some remaining brotherly love within his heart, in the same way that she refused to believe that James and Lily were gone, but she dared not ask him that.

"If you are so concerned with protecting Harry," Minerva asked him, "Then why not raise him yourself? Or give him to Dumbledore, he'll be delighted to raise his-"

"Ah, but the most powerful protection that Harry could possibly have," Darren interrupted her, waving his hand across the house that they were standing in front of, "is within this very house we are standing outside of."

Minerva stared at the place, then snapped her head back to Darren and looked at him as if he was insane.

"Darren, you can't possibly be thinking of leaving him _here_?" She protested, "The family are _muggles_! What protection could _they_ possibly give him that none of our kind can?"

"The most powerful there possibly is. So you have kept an eye on the Dursleys, eh? Tell me, have you noticed the wife and mother living here? Blond hair, long neck, prominent teeth, looks a bit like a horse?"

"Well-yes. Though I'm not too sure about the horse comparison-"

"She's Lily sister."

Minerva's eyes went wide.

"You're _joking._"

"Alas no."

"I mean, I knew that Lily had a muggle sister-even though she rarely talked about her-but-I got bad vibes from that woman. Plus she constantly peeped over in her neighbour's places as though to spy on them-"

"A lot like you were doing." Darren grinned.

Minerva frowned.

"It wasn't out of choice. I just happen to notice her. But this woman-"

"It was lily's sacrifice that saved Harry. Her blood is the most powerful protection that is accessible to him. And that very blood runs through her sister's veins. Trust me, Minerva, this is the safest place for him to stay. As long as he calls this place home, neither Nargoa nor his followers can touch him."

Minerva opened her mouth to speak, but then changed her mind and closed it. Darren brought up his arm and pulled his sleeve away from his wrist to look at his watch.

"Hagrid should be here by now," he said, "And speak of the devil, there he is!"

Darren saw a black shape in the sky. A loud rumbling sound seems to come with it. As it came closer, it turned out to be a motorcycle, being ridden by a man twice the size of an ordinary person. After landing, Darren grinned at the giant.

"You certainly took your sweet time, Hagrid!"

"Sorry, Professor," the man named Hagrid answered.

In his arms was a bundle of blankets. Within the blankets was a tiny black haired baby. Down his forehead was a peculiar lightning shaped scar.

"Is that where-?" Minerva began to ask.

"Yes," Darren answered her, "He will have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Professor?" Hagrid asked him, "Or maybe Professor Dumbledore-"

"There is nothing that can be done. Even if there was, I wouldn't dare touch that scar, and I'm sure Dumbledore would agree with me. Scars can be useful. I hear that the headmaster has one that's an exact map of London on his right knee. Give him to me, Hagrid."

The giant handed the bundle of blankets to the blond haired man. Hagrid then howled like a wounded animal.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, "But it's all so terrible! James and Lily dead! And little Harry off to live with muggles!"

Darren's kind, cheerful face suddenly became hard, his eyes almost blazing.

"There is nothing wrong with muggles, Hagrid," he told him sternly, "Just because they don't have magic, doesn't mean they are like mud on our shoes."

Hagrid looked startled, no longer crying.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I didn' mean-"

"I know exactly what you meant," Darren snapped, "I expect that kind of attitude from the other side, I don't expect it from ours."

"Yes sir. Sorry sir."

"That is quite all right," Darren said, although his tone suggested that it was not quite all right at all. After placing Harry on the doorstep, Darren took something out of the depths of his overcoat and slipped it among Harry's blankets.

"What's that you're giving him, Darren?" Minerva asked.

"It's a letter that will explain everything to his aunt and uncle."

"A _letter? _Darren, you can't possibly believe that you can explain all this in a letter-"

"Well I've done the best I can."

He now stood up and turned to smile at his colleagues.

"Do not be so glum my fellow co-workers," he told him, "We shall see Harry Potter again. I'll send another letter to Lily's sister and try to convince her to come to the funeral, and take Harry with her. I think it's time we join the celebrations. I hear that Dumbledore has booked the Weird Sisters."

"I've got to return this to Sirius Black first."

Hagrid walked back to the motorbike, swung himself back on it, and rode off towards the moon. As Minerva started to walk away, she turned around to look at Darren.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked him.

"Just give me a minute, Minerva," he told her, "I need to restore the lights first."

"Okay. Will you be apparating?"

"I think I'll take the scenic route."

"Okay then."

Minerva walked away into the darkness and vanished. After restoring the lights, Darren turned around for a last look at the bundle of blankets. He smiled.

"Good luck, Harry."

He turned abruptly around and beginning to jump changed back into a duck. With a quack he flew away, away from Privet Drive and back into the darkness.


	2. The Professor of DADA

**Apologies for the lateness of this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Harry Potter' or anything related. **

It had been a very strange month for young Harry Potter. Well, stranger than usual. He had received a letter from an anonymous sender, but instead of being allowed to open it, his uncle and aunt had it burnt instead. When that should have been the end of the matter, another letter had arrived, seemingly addressed by the same person. The Dursleys burnt that one too, but it did not matter how many they burnt, more continued to come, increasing in number. Neither the letterbox being screwed shut or Sunday stopped them. Taking drastic measures, Uncle Vernon took the family away from the house. But that didn't stop the sender, who seemed to know their exact location wherever they went, driving them to this remote, small island. At the moment it became midnight (And incidentally Harry's Birthday) there was a knock on the door. It had woken up the rest of his family, or at least the closest thing to a family Harry had. Uncle Vernon pointing a rifle shaking at the door, his wife and son cowering close to him. The mysterious visitor continued to knock on the door before it gave way. After falling down, the doorway revealed a tall, blond-haired man wearing a brown over-coat. He held up high what looked like a small stick in his right hand. He had a rather guilty expression across his face.

"Oh, sorry about that," he apologised, "I was just knocking on your door and it fell off its hinges. Well it looked like an old door, anyway. It would have been better if you had just answered it-"

"_Stay back!_" Uncle Vernon shouted, shaking the rifle at the visitor.

"Oh come now, man," the visitor, protested, "Have you seen the rain outside? You wouldn't be so cruel as to keep someone in the rain, would you?"

He started to take a step inside the hut.

"I said stay back!" Vernon shouted again.

The mysterious visitor laughed, waving his stick around.

"You're cracking up, man! How are you suppose to harm me with that eel of yours?"

Just as Harry was thinking what the man meant by an eel, Uncle Vernon had let out a yelp, and Harry spun around. Where there used to be the rifle, a long, silvery eel had taken its place. Uncle had dropped the creature out of shock and then looked as if he was about to stamp on it…then before his foot reached the eel's head, it suddenly stopped. Uncle Vernon looked just as bewildered as Harry felt, as if his foot had found an invisible step. Harry looked around and saw the visitor pointing the stick in the direction of Uncle Vernon's foot.

"I'd prefer it if you would not kill that eel," the stranger said sternly, "I don't like the killing of any living thing. Plus having just given it life, naturally I feel quite protective over it."

He waved the stick in the air. Harry saw the writhing eel float in the air, as if pulled up and along by invisible strings. But it can't be, Harry thought. It was impossible.

"Go on, little fella," the stranger told the eel as he waved his twig outside and the eel, as if the strings were attached to the wand, flew out. Harry heard a splash. The stranger then sighed.

"Usually I don't give inanimate objects life," he explained. Then he smiled at the family.

"But it seemed like such a good opportunity for that type of trick I couldn't pass it up."

The figure walked into the shack. For the first time his eyes, a deep blue colour, fell on Harry. He smiled.

"And here's the man of the hour!" he said happily "You certainly look a lot like your dad, Harry, although perhaps smaller."

He bent lower.

"In fact," he added, "you look so much like him it's scary."

He examined Harry even closer.

"But you have you're mother's eyes. Now that's very interesting… By the way, I made you a cake."

He took out from the depths of his overcoat a white cardboard box and handed it to Harry. Harry politely took hold of the box, and opened it. Inside was a white sponge cake with 'Happy Birthday Harry' written on top. Harry meant to say thank you, but instead he asked, "Who are you?"

"Oh I'm sorry! How rude of me! I guess along the way I forgot to mention my name! Well, Harry," he offered his hand, "I am Professor Darren Cessi, teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts."

Harry did not really understand most of what the stranger had told him, but he shook his hand nonetheless out of politeness. Professor Cessi now turned to look at the Dursleys.

"I'd offer my hand to your family, Harry," he grinned, "but they look like I might give them a disease. I don't suppose you could make me a cup of tea, could you? No? Not anything to eat? Don't worry, I came prepared."

He now took out a saucepan from his overcoat, as well as a packet of sausages.

"May I at least use your fireplace?"

The Durleys remained shaking and silent, staring at Professor Cessi as if he was a monster. He shook his head.

"Dear me," he tutted, "You're not being very hospitable."

He held the saucepan in the air, gave his stick another whirl, let go and the saucepan remained in mid air. This has to be some kind of obstacle illusion, Harry thought. Then he moved his stick underneath the pan and a fire emitted from it. After taking the wand away from the bottom, the fire still remained. He now opened the packet of sausages (someway along the way a knife had appeared in his hand, then it was gone) and poured them into the saucepan. He then took out a teapot, and a cup appeared in his other hand out of nowhere.

"Are you some kind of magician?" the question jumped out of Harry's mouth before he could stop himself. If he was then he was the best magician he had ever seen. Of course he'd never actually seen a magician perform. The Dursleys were not exactly into magic, and they never let Harry watch what he wanted to watch. Even if they allowed him the telly, they would never let him watch anything that involved magic. However, Harry was sure that even if he had seen magic tricks before, this magician would top them all.

"Well some of our kind have been called magicians in the past in some parts of the world," the man explained as he poured the contents of the pot into the cup. It was still steaming. "But nowadays in the western world we call ourselves wizards."

He now placed the teapot next to the saucepan as if it was all held up by an invisible table. He laid back sipping his cup, yet remained in mid air as if sitting on an invisible chair.

"I'd conjure up a real chair, but I don't think your family would appreciate me trespassing even more on their property than I already am, so I guess one made out of thin air will have to do."

Deciding that the sausages were done, Professor Cessi picked them up with a fork that appeared out of nowhere and onto a plate (where did that come from? Harry thought). With a knife in his hand the man started to cut up the sausages and popped the pieces into his mouth. Harry noticed that at all times he kept the wand in his hand. He pierced a whole sausage with his fork and gestured it to Harry.

"Want one?" he asked.

But Harry was still too confused to be bothered with the sausage, even though he was hungry.

"I'm sorry," he told him, "But I still don't understand who you are."

"Well I teach Defence Against the Dark Arts-that means that I instruct students how to defend themselves against dark magic and creatures, at Hogwarts. Of course, I'm sure you know all about Hogwarts."

"Er no, sorry."

Professor Cessi raised his eyebrows.

"No?"

Harry shook his head.

"I see."

The professor gave a small glance at the huddled Dursleys.

"Tell me, Harry, do you know what the term 'muggle' means?"

Once again Harry shook his head.

"I see. I believe that your parents died when you were one. Is that correct?"

Harry nodded.

"How did they die, if you mind me asking?"

Harry did, but he answered the question anyway.

"They died in a car crash."

Darren's face was still for a moment.

"A car crash? I see. I suppose your aunt and uncle told you that that scar of yours was from the crash?"

He looked at the Dursleys and sighed.

"Well, I can't say that I'm too surprised that your aunt and uncle didn't tell you everything. I knew I was being too hopeful. Well then, Harry, I think I should tell you what your aunt and-"

"Stop! Stop right there!"

Uncle Vernon had spoken for the first time since his rifle was transformed into an eel. Professor Cessi looked at him.

"He has a right to know what he is, Mr Dursley."

"What do you mean 'what I am?"

The professor turned back to look at Harry.

"Well-"

"STOP! I FORBID YOU TO-"

Uncle Vernon abruptly stopped speaking, as Harry turned to look at him, he saw that he too was surprised at this sudden loss of his voice. He made gold fish expressions. Harry turned back to look at Professor Cessi and saw that his wand was outstretched and point at his uncle.

"There. That's the most useful thing you've done all night, Dursley. Harry, you're a wizard."

The silence seemed to last forever.

"I'm sorry?" Harry asked, rather baffled at what he had just been told.

"A wizard. It means that you have the ability to perform magic. There are wizards and witches all over the world, but we live in secret."

"Why?"

"Well, wizards and witches feel that muggles-that's non-magical folk to you-will bother us and seek for magical solutions to all their problems, and that we're best left alone. Hogwarts is where wizards and witches of the British Isles are taught magic."

He took out a letter from his coat.

"I believe that this is yours?"

Harry eagerly took the letter.

"I think it's also right to also tell you the truth about your parents' deaths, Harry. They did not die in a car crash, as your aunt and uncle had told you, nor did you receive that scar from the same fictional accident. You're parents were murdered by a dark wizard-that means an evil wizard who uses the dark arts- named Tebadam Nargoa.

Nargoa was perhaps the worst wizard ever to plague the world for over a hundred years. After leaving Hogwarts, he delved into the darkest of dark arts. He gathered himself a group of followers. He made himself a vast army. He made deals and contracts with the other dark wizards in the world, eventually making himself the leader of the dark wizarding underworld. His greatest ambition was to conquer the world, both wizarding and muggle. Had he succeeded, the muggles would have fared far worse than the wizards, for you see, he views muggles as inferior to wizards-rather a lot like how your family see our kind-an untapped source of slave labour. The wizarding population he would have forced to become part of his army."

"But he didn't?"

"Oh no. You see, his end is tied with that of your parents' deaths.

They too were wizards, like you and me, and they were part of a special order as I was dedicated to defeating Nargoa. Then ten years ago, Nargoa went after you and your parents. He managed to kill them, but strangely enough not you. And not only did he fail to kill you, but the spell he tried to used seemed to have backfired on him."

"But how?"

"Oh," Professor Cessi shrugged his shoulders, "That is one of the greatest mysteries in the wizarding world."

For the first time Harry remembered another aspect of his first memory: a booming laughter like the laugh of thunder along with the black light.

"You know, that sausage is getting cold if you still want it," Cessi told him.

Harry noticed that the sausage, along with the fork, remained where the wizard had held it, even though it was clear he had let go a while back. Hesitantly, Harry picked the sausage off the fork and popped it into his mouth. It was the most delicious thing he ever tasted. Cessi smiled.

"Now then, it looks as though your uncle has something he desperately wants to say."

He waved his stick again and Uncle Vernon breathed harshly as though he couldn't just now.

"He's not going!" he gasped.

Cessi raised his right eyebrow sardonically.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said he's not going! He's going to Stonewall, and he'll be grateful for it!"

"If he'll be grateful then why aren't you sending your own son to Stonewall? If you are concerned about paying for his education, Mr Dursley, then you shouldn't be. Then is a certain-er-fund that Mr Potter is eligible to that will pay for all his school equipment."

Uncle Vernon looked taken aback at this, then reeled up again.

"But he'll be taught to be a-a-"

"A wizard, yes, but part of that education will be concerned with controlling one's power. Isn't that what you want, Mr Dursley? A cease of Harry's spontaneous outbursts of magic?"

Uncle Vernon seemed speechless.

"And if you are worried about your little secret getting found out by all your neighbours, then you shouldn't be. As I have mentioned before, we wizards live in secret. We no more want to be found out than you do about Harry's 'abnormality.' And all under-aged wizards and witches are forbidden from practising magic after having attended Hogwarts. Of course he'll still be expected to complete homework over the summer, and if he hasn't done it, well… On the whole, he'll appear just as muggle as any of your family."

Uncle Vernon seemed in this, then started shaking his head vehemently.

"No, NO! I will not have one of-one of-someone like _you_-in our house! Look boy, I'll admit that there is something odd about you! Nothing a good beating can't solve. And as for your parents, well, they shouldn't have gotten themselves mixed up with this wizarding business in the first place! They got what they deserved, nothing but a–AAAAAAAAH! WHAT'S HAPPENING?"

Uncle Vernon had been suspended in the air. Harry thought of an astronaut who had lost gravity and who return to Earth. Harry turned around to look at Professor Cessi and jumped back. His once cheerful face had become a mask of cold fury. A bestial face. His wand was once again pointed at Uncle Vernon.

"Never-ever," He was telling Vernon, and his voice sounded like he was restraining himself as best as he could from shouting, "Speak about James and Lily like that again. They were courageous-alot braver than you are. They died as heroes and I will not have you slandering them in my presence."

A sinister smile appeared on Cessi's face.

"You know, I am very close to performing a certain curse that is well known amongst my kind. Ever heard of the Cruciatus curse? It's the torture curse. It will make you feel worse pain than you have ever felt, and unfortunately performing it upon another human being is punishable by life imprisonment-although I'm not sure if you qualify as a human being, Dursley."

"Put me down! PUT ME DOWN!" Uncle Vernon kept shouting, punching and kicking the air. Cessi's cold, thin smile widened.

"If you insist."

He twirled his wand and Uncle Vernon came crashing down. Cessi's fierce expression vanished and his more cheerful one took its place.

"I'm afraid to tell you that a 'good beating' does no good to suppress magic, Mr Dursley. You see magic explodes when the wizard or witch is upset or angry. Making them miserable only makes it more likely that magical effects will happen. If you really wanted to suppress his magical ability, you should have kept him as happy as possible!

"Well I think that's everything cleared up. I need to return to Hogwarts and give the school your reply, Harry-I presume you want to go?"

Harry thought about it. A school of magic-away from the Dursleys and Stonewall High, where his only protector and friend of his parents was.

"Yes!" Was Harry's reply, "Of course!"

"No!" Vernon roared, "I just told you that he's not going! Who do you think you are? You break in here, trespass on someone else's property, assault me and dare dictate what is none of your-"

"DON'T YOU DARE LECTURE ABOUT ILLEGALITY AND DECENCY TO ME, DURSLEY!" Cessi thundered, his face fierce again. His voice unleashed what Harry had sensed earlier. Whatever resolve or strength had remained in Uncle Vernon looked broken now. Going pale, he cowered away towards his wife and son. Professor Cessi's terrible voice ricketed around the room, making it sound more frightening, "FROM THE MOMENT HARRY HAD ENTERED YOUR HOME YOU'VE SHOWN HIM NOTHING BUT NEGLECT AND OFTEN CRUELTY, BREAKING THE PROMISE I ASKED IN THE LETTER I LEFT YOU! Oh yes, I know your crimes, Dursley. You stuffed him in the stair cupboard instead of giving him a proper bedroom. You have underfed him, only ever gave him old clothes, not once given him a proper birthday and had made him miserable his whole life. And, if I recall, you actually threw him into the hallway after the letter we sent you, and you dare lecture me about criminality and decency? I'm not sure if anyone told you this, Dursley, but child abuse is a crime! I wonder if anyone knew how you treated this poor boy how long you and your wife would spend in prison-"

"How dare you inform me about a justice system that isn't yours!" Vernon shouted, having found his courage again. Cessi raised an eyebrow again.

"Really? You're sure that I'm wrong? Perhaps I'll pop down to your local police station and tell them what I know? And believe me," his sinister smile appeared again, "I can make the evidence very convincing."

"Are you threatening me-?" Vernon round on Cessi.

"Yes," was his blunt answer, holding his ground. He continued to smile, although it seemed to have lost its sinister feel.

"Do not think of me as an intruder, Mr Dursley," he told Uncle Vernon, "Think of me as a social worker who has come to take Harry away from his abusive guardians, except I will not report to the police, I will not press charges, and you and your wife will not wound up in prison for the next decade, where you'll be subject to absolute control and no freedom, among other things. You lost the right to raise him the moment you stuffed him in the cupboard like some shameful thing!"

Harry could not help but feel admiration for Professor. To stand their ground against Uncle Vernon and even make him quiver was definately a fantastic feat. He was like a fierce bear, an animal as friendly as it was formidable.

"Anyway, I must be off. I'll be back tomorrow to take you to London, Harry, to buy what you need for school. You'll find the list with your acceptance letter. Also in the envelope is your train ticket. Term starts on September the first. You'll need to go to King's Cross Station. The platform is nine and three quarters. Go to the wall between platforms nine and ten. There is a passable barrier there that will take you to the platform. The Hogwarts Express will take you to Hogwarts. It leaves at 11am."

Harry heard Uncle Vernon mutter something that sounded like "carpets gone out of fashion?" Cessi turned again to look at Harry's uncle. At once he had turned pale again.

"No they were outlawed a couple of decades ago by the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Act. It bans the enchantment of any muggle artifact, and carpets come under that category. Personally I think it's a stupid law. I mean if it's not own by a muggle, and it was wizard made, even though muggles also have it, what's the harm of enchanting it? And besides it's not like we and muggles don't share any of the same artefacts. Students have been taking the train to Hogwarts for almost two hundred years, almost as long as they've been around in the muggle world. Before that they used to travel by floopowder to school- it's a magical powder that enables wizards to travel from one fireplace to another, as long as it's linked to the floopowder network, that is. And before floopowder was invented-that is around the later thirteenth century, people used to travel by broomstick to Hogwarts, although the older students apparated- that means like teleporting-"

Harry was not too sure how much Uncle Vernon took in or understood, but he was clearly thunderstruck after his snide comment. Harry had difficulty trying to stop himself from laughing at his uncle's expression.

"Now after that interesting fact, I really must be off."

He turned towards the door.

"Oh, and one more thing," he added.

He picked something out of his right coat pocket. Holding it up, he let it go. It was a small, golden ball, which hovered in the air. It was only then that Harry had noticed that the pan, plate, cutlery and tea set had vanished.

"This little thing," Cessi tapped the ball with his wand, "will report to me of any mistreatment that will happen in this shack. So if you try to burn his letter or any of the other contents, or if something was to happen to the cake I made," For a moment his eyes rested on Dudley before flicking back to Uncle Vernon, "You will have to answer to me. _And do you really want to test to see if it works?_"

It was clear from the Dursleys' expression that no they did not, although Dudley eyed the cardboard box greedily. Professor Cessi turned again for the doorway. Harry ran to him.

"Wait-!"

He did not want him to go. This man, though a stranger, was perhaps the only person who had ever been kind to Harry. Cessi turned once more and bent down, placing his right hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Harry," he assured him, speaking like a father, "I'll be back. Just go to sleep, it'll seem like I've only been gone for a moment."

He started to stand up.

"Oh, I have something else for you."

Cessi took out from the depths of his overcoat a bread knife and handed it to Harry.

"No, this is not to kill your aunt, uncle and cousin with," he grinned, "It's for the cake."

Standing up, Cessi pulled over his hood, stepped out of the shack, and faced the inhabitants.

"Right, I'd better fix the door as well."

Giving his wand one last wave, the door came back up in the gap and Harry could hear some kind of crunching noise. He saw that the hinges had been fixed, as though they were brand new and never broken. Harry grabbed the handle and pulled the door open, wanting to see one last look at his guardian before he left. But Professor Cessi had vanished, almost as if he disappeared out of thin air. All Harry could see or hear in the storm was a small duck flying and quacking away from the island.


	3. The SilverHanded Man

**I do not own Harry Potter or anything related.**

* * *

It was all a dream, Harry thought as he clenched his eyelids shut. I dreamt that a wizard named Darren Cessi had come and offered to take me away from the Dursleys. Harry heard a knock on the door. He did not want to get up. It had been such a good dream. The knocking got louder. Harry heard footsteps walking cautiously to the door. It was as if either Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia were afraid of the person knocking on the door.

Like they were afraid of Professor Cessi…

Harry snapped opened his eyes and saw the white cardboard box that had once contained his birthday cake by his hand. He had been so hungry last night that he ate the entire thing. It wasn't a dream. Harry could not help but smile, wider than he had ever done in his entire life, perhaps the first time that he had ever truly smiled. He really was going to leave the Dursleys. The door opened. Harry looked up to see Professor Cessi once more standing in the doorway. He looked at Harry, and gave him a grin.

"You looked surprised to see me Harry. You didn't think that everything that happened last night was a dream, did you?"

Harry still could not believe it.

"Well come on then. If you still want to go that is!"

At once Harry ran to the door, forgetting the box. Vernon looked like he was about to stop Harry, but was too afraid to do so. As he ran to the doorway, to the smiling, welcoming figure of Darren Cessi, Harry dreaded that he was going to wake up. It had happened before in so many of his dreams of a long lost relative having come to take Harry away from the Dursleys. When he had passed the door, Harry realised that it still wasn't a dream, but even if it was, he didn't care. If it were he would like to stay in this dream world forever, and never wake up.

"I assure you, this is no dream," Professor Cessi told him, as if he read his mind.

He led Harry towards the edge of the island.

"Here, I've got us a boat. It wouldn't be right to deprive your family of the only way off the island!"

They got on board. Cessi tapped his edge of the boat and it sped off as if it had a motor on. Harry had another look at his school list.

"Where are we supposed to find all this stuff?" he asked.

Cessi smiled.

"In London, of course!"

The wizard conjured himself a cup of tea, and drank it.

After a while travelling, Harry spoke up.

"Professor?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you know my parents well?"

"Of course! I was their teacher!"

"You were?"

"Yes. Both were outstanding students. Their marks were at the top of the year."

"Wow!"

Professor Cessi went on telling Harry about his parents. After telling him everything he knew, the professor was silent.

"Harry," He began, "There's something I need to tell you. I wasn't completely honest with why you survived the attack from Nargoa. I only did it," he added quickly, noting Harry's sudden risen temper, not at all liking the idea of it being revealed that he had been lied to all his life only to find out that he was deceived again instantly, "Because I feared you'd find the truth upsetting, and I didn't think you'd want to be so in front of your family. It is true that no one else apparently knows how you survived, but I have a good feeling why, and I see no reason not to tell you. You survived because your mother died trying to save you. And her sacrificial love left a mark on you, one that protected you from whatever Nargoa tried to do to you."

Cessi turned around to see where they were going, giving Harry the chance to dry his eyes. Cessi was right, Harry thought. He would not have wanted to cry in front of the Dursleys.

"Is there anything else you haven't told me?" Harry asked, trying to keep the accusation tone out of his voice. The wizard apparently hadn't noticed.

"Nope. Nothing I can think of."

"Sir," Harry began, "If my mum died protecting me, it means that Nargoa wanted to kill me. But why would he want to kill a baby?"

"Ah, I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Harry! Not yet anyway. I'll tell you when you're older."

"But why can't you tell me now?"

"You're not old enough," Cessi replied instantly.

"Please Sir!" Harry pleaded.

Cessi remained silent.

During the journey, Harry constantly badgered Professor Cessi as to why Nargoa would try to kill him. Many parents, if hassled this way, would get annoyed and it would show in their faces. A few would even lose their temper and snap at their children. But Professor Cessi, however, remained calm, drinking his tea. His face did not even go a little pink, his eyebrows lower, which was quite incredible coming from the most terrifying man Harry had ever met. And he knew Uncle Vernon! Eventually, however, Harry got fed up asking, deciding that he would eventually tell him.

After reaching the port, Harry and Cessi took a train to London. They eventually came to a street, where Cessi beckoned Harry into a pub called the Leakey Cauldron.

"Morning, Darren!" The barkeep greeted.

"Morning, Tom!" Cessi greeted in reply.

Harry had the odd feeling of being rushed through the tavern.

"Usual?" Tom asked.

"No thanks, on duty," Cessi replied.

"Here, who's that with you?" Tom asked.

"No one," Cessi quickly replied, "Just a new student requiring help to get his school things!"

Tom was eyeing Harry. When they had just passed the doorway, Harry thought he saw a glimpse of shock in Tom's face.

By the time they got to a wall, Harry heard the barkeep shout, "That was Harry Potter!"

Cessi was hastedly tapping a few bricks, causing the wall to dissolve away,

"Come on Harry, before it's too late!"

Harry had no idea why they were rushing, but he could hear hurried footsteps behind. When they had passed where the wall was, Harry turned around to see what looked like everyone in the pub running to where they were.

"Very sorry," Professor Cessi apologised as the wall closed up, "Harry Potter is much too busy today and will not have any time to chat with you all!"

Harry saw their disappointed faces as the wall closed up.

"Sorry about that, Harry," Cessi apologised, "I knew that once people saw you they'd all get as excited as if a famous actor had entered and that you'd find it very uncomfortable!"

Harry probably would have, although it would have been nice to have met people that wanted him around.

"Now off we go. First thing we need to get is your money."

"Oh yeah! You said there was a certain fund I could get money from?"

"Oh yes," Cessi grinned, "You could call it a fund. In fact, it's a fund that only you have access to. It's the money that your parents left you! I didn't think it'd be good if I told Vernon that you had a lot of money, even though he can't use any in the muggle world!"

* * *

After going to the bank and getting the money, Harry and Professor Cessi went to the uniform shop. When they had passed the door, Cessi froze.

"Uh oh," He said, "Erm, maybe it'd be best if we came back later-"

Inside another boy with his father was already being tended to. Harry noticed that they were almost spitting images of each other. Each was tall, bespectacled and round faced, with the same coloured hair. There were two noticeable differences of the father, who wore a blue robe. The first was that his hair was streaked with grey. The other was that his right hand looked like it was made of silver. He turned to the sound of the door opening and stared at Cessi. Each man just stared at each other. After an uneasy silence, the silver-handed man spoke.

"Hello Darren," He nodded.

"Morning Felus," Darren greeted, "I'd remove my hat to you if I had one. How are you?"

"Oh fine, fine. Of course I'm not as affluent as I used to be ten years ago. I'm sure you know why."

"I've always thought that you were happy now without your former boss. Wasn't he a bit of a totalitarian or authoritarian? Or both even?"

The man named Felus' nostrils flared. Cessi looked around.

"Where is the Mrs?" He asked.

"Oh she's at Ollivander's checking out the wands. My son is off to Hogwarts this year you know?"

"He is?" Cessi exclaimed with disbelief "Wow! I had no idea! Well that's a relief! I thought he was just here to try out school uniforms for the fun of it! You know Felus the wizard really needs to be at the shop where the wands are in order to find the right one. The wand can't exactly choose the wizard if the wizard's not there to be chosen!"

The wizard reddened.

""I know that! I-you know-my wife just wanted to check them out, and we've already got everything else-"

"Erm, excuse me Sir," The shopkeeper spoke to Cessi, "Is there anything you'd like?"

"Huh? Oh right!"

He put his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"This boy needs a uniform."

Felus' eyes found Harry.

"Good Lord!" He exclaimed, "Is that-?"

He moved forward and bent closer to look at Harry.

"Careful now, Felus. You wouldn't want to give people the wrong idea, do you?"

"Speak for yourself. Hanging around with an eleven year old who doesn't look related to you."

"You have a dirty mind, Felus."

"You're one to talk, but that's-?"

He gasped.

"It is! It's Harry Potter! Even without your scar, it's clear who you are. You're a spitting image of your father, Master Potter."

"Yes, I've already told him that."

"You seem very protective of him, Darren. Don't worry; I'm not planning to blow him up for something. Not with a witness here. Don't worry," He added to the stunned shopkeeper "I'm just making a joke."

"Er, right. Well, come over here, Mr Potter, and I'll get you sorted."

Harry was placed on top of a stool. He was in front of the boy who could have only been Felus' son, who was gaping at him.

"Ah you really Harry Potter?" He whispered.

Harry nodded.

The boy was frozen for a moment.

"It's an honour to meet you, Harry Potter! My name's Felix. Felix Lecat!"

A second after he said his name, Harry almost roared with laughter. He placed his hand over his mouth so as not to appear rude.

"Ow!" He cried when he got pricked by one of the needles.

"Now hold still, dear," The shopkeeper told him sternly.

Felix's face reddened and looked the same as his dad's.

"What's so funny about my name?" He demanded.

"Nothing," Harry said, trying to control himself. He had to do his best not to think of his last name.

"So looking forward to going to Hogwarts?" Harry asked to change the subject.

"Oh yeah," Felix answered, though his angry look remained, "I can't wait to start learning magic. I want to get home and start reading through all my books. You were raised by muggles, right?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"That means that you can't know much about the wizarding World, right?"

"Yeah. I only found out I was a wizard earlier today."

"But you must have known that you were different! Didn't you perform spontaneous bursts of magic?"

Harry thought about it. There were certainly a lot of unexplained things that had happened around them.

"I guess I always put them off as weird happenings," he replied.

"I can't blame you. I guess being raised by muggles you're taught that everything follows logic and that there's no such thing as magic. I guess that it must have been a real shock when you found out."

"It really was! I was thinking that there must have been a mistake."

"Have you been told about the houses yet?"

"Wh-what houses?" Harry asked.

He frowned.

"Are you really intelligent?" he asked.

Harry took offence at this question.

"Just because I don't know what you mean by houses, doesn't mean-"

"Oh no! I didn't mean it like that! I just meant generally if you're an intelligent person?"

Harry never really thought about it.

"I guess so. I mean I usually do well at school. Particularly at Maths."

"Than I'd suggest you get sorted in Ravenclaw. That's where all the really bright pupils are. You don't want to go to Gryffindor, only grunts are in that house. You're only in Slytherin if you're a sociopath. Hufflepuff's all right, though. Apart from that whole loyalty thing. Of course you hear people say bad things about Hufflepuff, but-"

"There, you're done," the shopkeeper told him.

Harry reluctantly got off the stool.

"Oh well. See you at Hogwarts, then!" Felix replied.

"Yeah."

Harry smiled.

"Maybe you can tell me what's not bad about Hufflepuff then. Well, see you later! Felix!"

Harry had to cup his mouth again as he turned away. He wondered if Felix had gone all red again.

His father was looking from Felix to Harry. He did not look happy.

"Professor, may I ask you a question?" Harry asked after they had left the shop.

"Certainly, Harry. What is it?"

"What was up between you and that man?"

"You mean Felus Lecat? Oh, he used to be Nargoa's right hand man back when he was around! Course he got acquitted when he convinced the Ministry that he was only imperiused and that he wasn't responsible for his actions."

"The Ministry?"

"Yes. It's our government. Over the British Isles, that is."

"What do you mean by 'imperiused'?"

"Being forced to do things against your will."

"Oh. Right."

Harry paused.

"What exactly are the houses?"

"They're what the students at Hogwarts are divided in. There are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

"That boy I was talking to said Gryffindor was a place for grunts, Ravenclaw for clever people, and Slytherin for sociopaths. What's a sociopath?"

"Someone who doesn't care about how he or she affects other people," Cessi explained.

From the sounds of it, Harry did not want to be in that house.

"It's a completely unfair assumption," Darren instantly said, "It's true that more dark or evil wizards come from Slytherin than any other house, but that's only because it's the house of ambition, and most people turn to the dark arts because their ambition and personal desires are so strong. It's also the house of cunning."

Harry still felt like he did not want to be in that house.

"What do you mean by 'the house of'?"

"Well each house represents a different set of values, and every student is sorted into whichever house their own values share and have. Gryffindor is the house of courage and chivalry. Ravenclaw the house of intellect and wit, and Hufflepuff the house of hard work, patience, and loyalty."

"What do you mean by 'sorted'?"

"It's how the students are sorted into each house. A hat is placed on their heads, the hat examines the person's mind and decides which house they belong to."

Harry thought about what values he'd identify with the most. Well, he never felt particularly brave, so that was Gryffindor out of the question. He was probably more suited for Ravenclaw. He was also probably hard working as well as patient. You had to be when living with the Dursleys for all your life. He wasn't particularly sure about the loyal thing. He had had nothing to be loyal to. And was he ambitious and cunning? Well, probably a little ambitious, and you had to be cunning to escape bullying from Dudley and his gang.

"Felix said that Gryffindor was the place for grunts."

"Another unfair assumption. Many intelligent people come from Gryffindor. I myself was sorted in Gryffindor. Albus Dumbledore, held to be the greatest wizard in the world, came from Gryffindor. If it was a Ravenclaw enthusiast who said it, it's because they consider themselves as the brightest house and that Gryffindors are stupid because they're more-well, because of the courage thing-considered to be more brawn than brain."

"Brawn?"

"Muscularly."

Well Harry thought he definitely didn't have much of that compared to his brain!

"So it's true that Ravenclaw's the house with all the really bright pupils?"

"Well like I said, intelligent pupils come from the other houses as well."

"And why do people say bad things about Hufflepuff?"

"Oh it's because Hufflepuff rarely wins at Quidditch or the House Cup. Course it's only because Hufflepuff plays fairly compared to the other houses! And most of the points won are from playing Quidditch!"

Professor Cessi had just used a number of terms that Harry did not understand at all. Quidditch? House Cup? Points?

"Quidditch is a wizarding sport. Matches are always played at Hogwarts, and the winning house gets a cup. Well each house can gain points for merit, and lose them for bad behaviour. The house to get the most points wins the House Cup every year. Now then, any more questions?"

Harry shook his head.

"Then let us continue on our quest!"

* * *

After getting all of his school things, including a wand and a Snowy Owl, Harry and Professor Cessi went to the train station.

"Well this is where we part ways," he said, "Until we meet again at Hogwarts."

"Can't I just go with you?" Harry asked.

Cessi shook his head.

"I'm afraid I'm not your guardian, Harry. Your Aunt and Uncle are, even if they aren't much of guardians. However, don't worry about them doing anything horrid to you. I'll make sure of that. Besides, I wouldn't want there to be any disturbing rumours if you were to live at my house."

"What do you mean?"

Cessi patted Harry on the shoulder.

"You'll understand when you're older."

Harry could hear the train coming.

"Well then," Said Cessi, "Til we meet again at Hogwarts, Harry."

Harry nodded.

"See you at Hogwarts then."

After getting on the train, Harry turned around to look at Professor Cessi. Even though he would see him again in a month, it still felt like he was losing a friend. Cessi smiled, raised his hand and waved. Harry waved back. He continued to wave until he could no longer see the wizard.

Before sitting down, Harry heard a quack and saw a duck fly pass the train. There always seemed to be a duck around whenever Professor Cessi disappeared.

* * *

**Right, that's it. Excuse the shortness of it, I didn't have much of a plot to work with and I decided that it was best to end it here. Don't worry, this isn't the complete end. This AU series will continue in 'Chamber of Secrets: A Different Conclusion'. Coming soon.**


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